GREENSBORO – In four completely sold out shows the Civic Theater Project of the Civic Standard presented Charles Dickens’ classic, “A Christmas Carol,” in partnership with the Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro last Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, in a brilliant performance that demonstrated the power of theater to not only entertain us but to encourage our empathy for others.
photo by Vanessa Fournier
In an impressive example of genuine community theater, everyone who signed up to be in the play was included, resulting in 45 actors and actresses with many children, plus 27 set and prop builders, tech crew and costumers, not to mention six directors of set design, lighting, music and dances, all under the inspired direction of Rose Friedman. All spent three months in rehearsals and produced a joyous celebration of the Christmas spirit with meaningful deeper messages that are even more relevant today. Music Director Caitin DeLuca did an excellent job integrating traditional Christmas carols into the story line which the players all sang with admirable enthusiasm.
Charles Dickens (1812-1872) grew up in what has been described as a “fluid middle class” family of unstable finances, his schooling interrupted by a miserable apprenticeship in which he experienced traumatic poverty, yet he read voraciously and went on with remarkable energy and ambition to become a clerk, then newspaper reporter and finally one of the greatest novelists in the English language. He wrote “A Christmas Carol” in 1843 as a kind of melodrama with comic elements, his keen observation of human nature and imagination creating vivid characters we can readily identify with. Through his novels, Dickens had a significant impact on social reforms in Nineteenth-century England, particularly relating to debtor prisons, work houses, orphanages, a dysfunctional legal system, the exploitation of workers and other chronic injustices.
photo by Vanessa Fournier
As director, Rose Friedman was excellent in casting for all the numerous roles. Donny Osman was perfect as Ebenezer Scrooge, the epitome of ruthless capitalism, totally focused on making money and entirely without generosity or care about others, but who changes in the course of the play from alienation to compassion, with the underlying message that one of the basic choices in life is whether we relate to our fellow human beings by power or by love. Kent Osborne was very convincing as Bob Cratchit, Scrooge’s much-abused clerk. Andrew May well portrayed Fred, Scrooge’s nephew, who attempts to invite his uncle to Christmas dinner, but is rudely rebuffed
Larry Fliegelman and Ted Fullard were quite believable as two local gentlemen soliciting for the poor at Christmas time, who Scrooge repulsed contemptuously. Even three young carolers got the boot from his office, and with each of these incidents Dickens quickly establishes Scrooge’s unattractive personality at the beginning of the drama.
photo by Vanessa Fournier
The scene changes to Scrooge’s bedroom, where he is visited, whether in reality or in a dream, by the ghost of his old business partner, Jacob Marley, now seven years dead, embodied convincingly by Justin Lander. He is burdened by chains, symbolizing his remorse for his previous selfish life, but now condemned to wander aimlessly. He warns Scrooge against a similar fate, but says he still has a chance for redemption and that three spirits in succession will haunt him tonight.
The first is a beautiful young girl with a halo of candles in her hair, the Ghost of Christmas Past, finely acted by Edie Taylor. She shows him scenes from his past, first as a very young boy (Jayce Gann), not included in other children’s games, then as a handsome teenager (Otis Taylor) at a boisterous Christmas party, where everyone is enjoying themselves eating, drinking and dancing. The host and hostess of the celebration is Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig, Tom Murphy and Maris Wolff respectively, the former showing amazing energy, including balancing on a large barrel.
In a subsequent scene, young Scrooge proposes marriage to Belle (Sycada Barnes), giving her an engagement ring. But their relationship ends some years later when an older Belle (Marth Demers) finds the more mature Scrooge (Issac Demers) has changed for the worse as a greedy businessman.
The second spirit to come to Scrooge is the Ghost of Christmas Present, played by Ben Mathews with dramatic finesse. He shows Scrooge Bob Cratchit’s home with his wife (Catherine Eden) and their five children. They are delighting in their Christmas dinner, but their domestic bliss is overshadowed by Tiny Tim (Charlie Lander), who is crippled and everyone fears may soon die. One of the highlights of the show is Tiny Tim singing a beautiful song about the Christ Child, a very moving moment. The next scene had a much older Belle (Harriet King) discussing with her daughter (Leanne Harple) how lonely Scrooge was these days. Then Scrooge was taken to his nephew Fred’s Christmas party, where unflattering remarks are made about Scrooge but nevertheless a toast is made to him.
photo by Vanessa Fournier
Tom Murphy returned as the third spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Future, ominously tall and dressed in black. He shows some people in the street saying they had heard Scrooge had died alone, but no one had anything good to say about him. A very amusing scene followed with Rosann Hickey and Judy Bellairs as two bag ladies bringing stolen goods to a fence, Old Joe (Justin Lander). They were all laughing repeatedly in their witty dialogue at the thought of Scrooge’s demise. The next future vision is at the Cratchit’s home with the whole family mourning Tiny Tim’s death.
Scrooge is deeply affected by this suffering, has an apotheosis and vows to completely change his life and help people. He calls to a boy in the street to buy a large turkey in a nearby market and take it to Bob Cratchit’s home. He gives a large donation to the two gentlemen he had previously rejected and goes to his nephew’s house for dinner. He raises Bob Cratchit’s salary and offers to get medical help for Tiny Tim. The whole cast ends by singing together a final Christmas Carol and the audience responded with an appreciative standing ovation.
Other supportive actors and actresses in the cast were Tobin Anderson, Lauren Antler, Adele Barsalow, Kosmos Gletsos, Poppy Gletsos, Luzza Hadik, Atticus Harple, Callie Hastings, Sara Hedrick, Vicki Kuskowski, Jo Lander, Heathe Lanphear, Crosby Lynd, Calder Peltz, Ruthie Podolin, Leslie Ross, Helen Sher, Henry Torres, Kaydence Tucker, David Upson, Nora Van Gulden and June Van Houten. Icarus Tyree sang with a fine voice and played the guitar while Phoebe Bunten played the violin.
Justin Lander designed the marvelous backdrop sets of city buildings that evoked London, lighting was managed by Cavan Meese, the excellent music director and piano player was Caitlin DeLuca, dances were choreographed by Maris Wolff, production manager was Lauren Antler and assistant director was Helen Sher. The imaginative period costumes were created by Sara Hedrick and Susan Schulman.
David K. Rodgers
David K. Rodgers is a writer, mason and card carrying dilettante, who dabbles and babbles in art. He has lived in East Craftsbury for the past 40 years.
